Mamelodi Sundowns beat Marumo Gallants 1-0 in CAF Champions League

Miguel Cardoso gave a positive assessment of the possible revival of Mamelodi Sundowns following their unexpected exit from the CAF Champions League on Friday evening.

The Sundowns team failed to defend its title even before demonstrating strong play, as they disappointingly dropped out of the group stage qualifiers against Wiliete. Wiliete's victory was achieved based on the away goals rule after a 1-1 draw in Pretoria.

This result greatly disappointed Sundowns, and Cardoso admitted that the team failed in the most important game of the season, despite having won the MTN8 and the Fifa African-Asian-Pacific Cup earlier in the campaign.

Nevertheless, the Portuguese coach remains optimistic, believing that after a dark period, a bright phase will come, and Sundowns will return stronger and better.

Cardoso stated: 'Great empires always rise from ashes.' He compared the situation to the periods after the First and Second World Wars, noting that many great achievements arise from such difficulties.

He added: 'Today (Friday) was a dark night, but it is darkness that must give us the goal and energy to build something bigger. Perhaps this is an important lesson to learn for the future. As I usually say, what happens to us does not define us. What defines us much more is how we react to what happens.'

Sundowns' opportunity to react to the defeat will come in the match against Marumo Gallants in the Round of 16 of the Carling Knockout tournament, which will take place on Tuesday evening at the Loftus Versfeld stadium. A win in this meeting will allow the team not only to advance but also to gain the necessary momentum to participate in remaining competitions, including the semi-final of the Fifa Intercontinental Cup and the Betway Premiership, which are priority goals.

Cardoso noted: 'There are many trophies still to fight for.' At the same time, he emphasized that the significance of exiting the Champions League cannot be forgotten. He admitted that this is difficult for the club and coaches, and personally, it is especially hard after the team was in the final for three consecutive years.

He also mentioned that for a club that was supposed to participate in the group stage for the twelfth consecutive time, this is not easy. Despite the deep disappointment from Friday's result, achieving the last two continental finals—one with Esperance and another with Sundowns—may offer a chance to reset and look at continental football and other tournaments with fresh eyes.

Mamelodi Sundowns has always been considered a force in continental football, so its success will not be determined solely by successfully defending the CAF Champions League trophy, although the club will make every effort to retain it.

Currently, Sundowns is defending its continental title after winning a second star last season, ending a ten-year drought. This makes the team a favorite at every stage of the tournament.

However, this responsibility is relatively new for most players, as only veterans Themba Zwane and Denis Onyango remain from the squad that won the title under former coach Pitso Mosimane in the 2015/16 season.

Despite having to wait a whole decade for triumph, coach Miguel Cardoso emphasized how the club maintained its status in African football. He stated that the pressure on the team this season is the same as before. According to him, Sundowns were a big team even before winning the Champions League for the second time, as they played in the final last season and in the semi-finals the year before.

Cardoso added: 'When I first came to play against Sundowns, I already perceived them as a huge power. Nothing has changed—we just added a second star now. The question is not how other teams see us, but how we remain humble, understand how to fight and compete in these tournaments. It's all about how we present ourselves completely.'

Sundowns must give their all in the match against Wiliete in the second round of the CAF Champions League qualifiers following a 0-0 draw in the first match in Angola. Cardoso knows that any result other than a win in regular time or a victory in a penalty shootout at Loftus Versfeld stadium on Friday evening (at 20:00) will lead to an early end to their campaign.

The coach noted: 'We know that if we win, we advance. If there is a 0-0 draw, we go to penalties, and if there is a draw with goals, we are eliminated.' He hinted at three consecutive wins in finals, adding that finals are meant for victories. 'If we play at the highest level, we will achieve a result that allows us to move to the next stage of the competition.'

Mamelodi Sundowns continues its tradition of attracting the best players in the market, which explains why club legend Vuyo Mere is not surprised by the presence of five quality right-backs competing for one position in the Chloorkop.

Before the start of the season, Tabang Matuludi and Deano van Rooyen joined the Sundowns squad, strengthening a position that already included Khuliso Mudau, Tapelo Moreno, and Zuko Mdunyelwa.

Initially, it was expected that Moreno would fill the void after the injury to the main player Mudau, and Mdunyelwa would provide backup depth. However, Moreno's brief injury prompted Sundowns to spend significant funds on signing free agent Van Rooyen, who left Pirates, and subsequently they also brought in Matuludi.

Some critics argued that the club made a panic purchase by signing Van Rooyen and Matuludi, as they believed both players were superfluous, despite Sundowns' participation in numerous domestic, continental, and international tournaments.

Mere, who spent many years playing as a right-back for Sundowns before moving to other clubs and retiring, commented on this apparent overload of the position.

In an exclusive interview with IOL Sport, Mere stated: 'This is the culture at Mamelodi Sundowns—signing quality players. They don't wait until a player loses form; they always have quality options. It's not news to see several players competing for one position.' He added: 'We know the quality of Mdunyelwa and Moreno. We know that Khuliso Mudau will be unavailable for some time. They also have Van Rooyen, who is a quality player... it's good competition.'

Mudau's absence allowed Kamogelo Selebele from Orlando Pirates to take the starting right-back position for the Bafana Bafana national team, while Matuludi played as a substitute. Meanwhile, Moreno continues to be used as a versatile option.

When Mudau fully recovers, the fight for starting spots both in the club and at the national level should intensify. Nevertheless, Mere hopes that this rivalry remains healthy and based on camaraderie.

Mere emphasized: 'I think we must understand that every coach has their preferred players. If you focus on people's opinions or try to impress others, you end up with talk of clashes with teammates, which is completely unprofessional.' He gave examples: 'We have seen Tapelo Moreno and Khuliso Mudau play on the same team and both make it to the national team. We have Ricardo Goss and Ronwen Williams who compete for one position in the club and at the national level. They maintain excellent relationships, and that is due to a good heart. It comes with the game.' He concluded: 'If you open your heart and wish the best for others, good will always come back to you. This is a message that should be addressed to the young: as a professional footballer, be humble and wish others well.'